REDWOOD CITY — A Hillsborough police officer is slated to be arraigned Thursday morning on charges that he barged into an ex-girlfriend’s San Mateo home and shoved her several times during an argument, a prosecutor said.

Martin Fritzsching, 40, is accused of letting himself into his ex’s home April 13, then picking a fight with her and her new boyfriend that ended with the off-duty officer repeatedly pushing his former girlfriend, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. He allegedly came back April 14 demanding the return of some jewelry he had given the woman, and she threatened to call the police.

Wagstaffe said Fritzsching, a San Jose resident, replied, “You’re not going to do that, because I am a cop.” The woman called San Mateo police soon thereafter, and they arrested him the next day.

Fritzsching, who holds the rank of police officer and has been with the department since 1996, has been placed on paid administrative leave, said Hillsborough police Lt. Caroline Serrato.

“It’s a personnel matter,” she said. “I can’t make any further comment.”

Fritzsching faces two counts each of domestic violence and trespassing as well as one count of child endangerment. All are misdemeanors. The last charge stems from Fritzsching’s leaving firearms and ammunition within the reach of the ex-girlfriend’s three children, according to prosecutors. He is not their father.

Wagstaffe said the couple had dated for about 10 months but broke up a few weeks before the incident. On April 13, Fritzsching allegedly sent her text messages asking to see her. She didn’t respond and was at home with a man she had begun seeing since they split.

Fritzsching walked into the ex’s home without knocking, went into the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator before the trouble started, according to prosecutors. The woman asked him to leave, and they began to argue.

Wagstaffe said Fritzsching pushed her into a microwave and stove. The new boyfriend got involved at this point, saying, “If you touch her again, I don’t care if you are a cop, I’ll throw you out of here,” Wagstaffe said.

Both men then left, but Fritzsching came back a short time later and again argued with the woman, Wagstaffe said. That dispute ended with him allegedly shoving her several times into a wall, Wagstaffe said. After that confrontation, she called police. Fritzsching is out of custody on $50,000 bail and due in court at 9 a.m.

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